Non Executive Director Insider Insights Sally Parrish

In this episode of Non Executive Director Insider Insights, we discuss maximising value through a diverse board portfolio with Kerry Ryan. Kerry has broad experience across various consumer-facing industries - retail, FMCG, sport, professional services, education, fitness, health and wellbeing, and social services.

Through her diverse board portfolio, Kerry was able to embrace opportunities that challenged her growth enabling her to strengthen her skills and enhance her opportunity to add greater value.

In this episode of Non Executive Director Insider Insights, we chat with Rob Hale. Rob is a client of the Board Coaching Institute who has recently launched his board career. Building on his stellar career in technology, Rob recently landed a board role in the mutual banking space which nicely rounds out his portfolio as a Government and Industry Advisory Board member, and fintech executive.
Whilst Tech challenges are high on board agendas, there are few executives who can successfully bridge the gap between having deep operational technical insights and being able to translate this into board level knowledge to form the basis for sound decision making.

For Rob, the keys to board success staying true to his value proposition for helping people, being transparent, listening closely, and translating complex technical issues into actionable business strategies.

Managing an organisation requires strategies that can increase profitability without sacrificing purpose. Profit may be the same across organisations but the purpose varies. So how can the board encourage goal-driven values that don’t hamper profit in executives and non-executive positions?

In this episode of Non Executive Director Insider Insights, we speak with Sanchia Aranda AM. Her professional career started out in nursing and has now extended to over 40 years of expertise in cancer control. At the time of this recording, Sanchia was a Board Chair for Scope Australia and Deputy Board Chair for the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Alliance.

Sanchia firmly believes that profit is not the main driver for non-profit businesses; it’s the purpose or the mission. Although a financial legacy is often seen as a valuable component, having a corporate social responsibility is what sets an organisation apart from others.

When profit and purpose are used in tandem, the board becomes better mobilised to achieve its goals. They contribute better to the organisation and make a difference.

Making the leap from the executive world to the boardroom can sometimes seem so effortless by some. While many others struggle to even get an interview for a board role, let alone get appointed to a board.

If you’re in search of a magic button to have a successful board career, this episode sheds light on how to approach your board career and how to add value through customer advocacy.

In this episode of Non Executive Director Insider Insights, we’re joined by Wendy Stops. At the time of this recording, Wendy was a Non Executive Director of the Commonwealth Bank, Coles Group Ltd and Fitted for Work, and Chair of the Industry Advisory Board for the Centre for Business Analytics at the Melbourne Business School. Since then she has also become Chair of Blackmores and Deputy Chancellor at the University of Melbourne. She completed her tenure at CBA in Oct 2020.

Wendy shares her insights on how to make securing your seat on a board possible, with tips on networking and establishing yourself as a leader.

Are you looking to find your true purpose and passion in the boardroom? We all know that success comes from hard work, but without purpose and passion you’ll struggle to maintain long-term motivation or inspiration in your board role.

In this episode of Non Executive Director Insider Insights, we’re joined by Dr Delyth Samuel. Delyth has spent over 20 years juggling full time work with board work. Her first role was a state appointed role as a result of her industry expertise with the International Fibre Centre. At the time of recording, she was secretary of the local tennis club and Non Executive Director at the Mulgrave Country Club.

Understanding how to make an impact in the boardroom that speaks to your purpose and passion can help open up possibilities and set you on a path towards true satisfaction. It’s never too late to start making meaningful changes and building a life that you can truly be proud of.

Boardrooms have been ingrained with conventional perspectives that are often difficult to challenge. This might explain why people in board positions often find themselves in comfortable, yet critically complacent situations.

How can you recognise and break away from these limitations and biases and move beyond the traditional boardroom boundary?

In this episode of Non Executive Director Insider Insights, we’re joined by Anita Muller, who at the time of the recording was running her consultancy business Running Tall, and sitting on the board at Matthews Steer Accountancy and Advisory.

Anna firmly believes that modern-day board roles need to take a leap forward to achieve effective board leadership by encouraging creative and dynamic thinking in the boardroom.

Being too comfortable has historically been a defining factor for big businesses who have failed. Reigning supreme just sets you up in the headlights of fast-moving up-and-coming competition. Think Kodak. Think Blockbuster. Think Nokia. Tension is needed to inspire creativity and innovation in organisations, to protect businesses failing from a false sense of security.

In order for the board to harness different ways of thinking, it must first acknowledging the value of creative input from others. This breeds diversity and inclusion which results in openness to new possibilities and better information on which to base decisions.